Vertical trouser pressing machine



Feb. 3, 1953 A, B, JONES 2,627,128

VERTICAL TROUSER PRESSING MACHINE Filed July 26, 1950 2 SHEETS4SHEET 1Gttornegs Feb. 3, 1953 A, B, JONES 2,627,128

VERTICAL TROUSER PRESSING MACHINE Filed July 26, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2IJYIIIIIIIWIIIIII /70 Snventor Patented Feb. 3, 1953 UNITE -FFQEVER'HCAL TEUSER PRESSING MACHKNE Arthur: B. Jones, Detroit, Mich.

Application July 26, 1956, Serial No. 175,965

(Cl. Elfe-251) 2 Claims. l

This invention relates to trousers pressing inaehin'es.

One object of this invention is to provide a vertical trousers lpressingmachine in which the trousers are held vertically while they are beingpressed between vertical middle and side bucks so that both sides orboth legs of the trousers are pressed simultaneously, the side bucksbeing swingable horizontally toward and away from the stationary middlebuck by iiuid pressureoperated motors which are controlled by controlvalves easily accessible to the operator.

Another object is to provide a vertical trousers pressing machine of theforegoing character wherein the middle buck is wedge-shaped throughoutsubstantially its entire length, thereby enabling its covering andpadding to be drawn tightly downward over it and maintained in a 'tautcondition.

Another object is to provide a vertical trousers pressing machine of theforegoing character wherein the side bucks are opened and closed by avertical toggle mechanism operated by a fluid pressure motor, therebyresulting in a more compact mechanism than has hitherto been provided,and economizing on the floor space occupied by the machine.

Another object is to provide a vertical trousers pressing machine or theforegoing character wherein an improved trousers carrier enables thetrousers to be swung upward or downward and move inward or outward toposition them properly in the machine and to adapt the machine instantlyto widely different sizes of trousers.

.Another object is to provide a vertical trousers pressing machine ofthe foregoing character having a suction device operable to forciblywithdraw the steam from the bucks after pressing, in order to morequickly dry the trousers` 1n the drawings:

Figure l is a front elevation of a trousers pressing machine accordingto one form of the invention, with the buck covers and padding omitted;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the machine shown in Figure l with thetoggle mechanism partly in section;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken along the line 3 3 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along the line lld inFigure 3; showing details of the toggle mechanism;

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken along the line 5 5 in Figure 2showing details of the buck construction;

Figure G is a fragmentary vertical section, partly in side elevation,taken along the line 8 6 in either Figure l or Figure 5, showing detailsof the middle buck construction;

Figure 7 is a top plan view, partly in horizontal section, of a portionof the trousers holder of the machine; and

Figure S is an enlarged Ahorizontal section taken along the line 8 6 inFigure 2, showing the steam control valve for one of the side bucles,

Frame and pedestal construction Referring to the drawings in detail,Figures V1 to 3 inclusive show a trousers pressing machine, generallydesignated I9, according to one form of the invention, which is animprovement over the machine disclosed and claimed in my copendingapplication Serial No. 113,293, led August 31, 1949, for TrousersPressing Machine. The present machine Ill is mounted upon a subbasestructure ll consisting of upper and lower horizontal angle members I2and I3 respectively interconnected by vertical angle members I4, andresting upon feet or pads I5 secured to the lower horizontal members I3.The 'various members I2, I3, I4 and I are secured to one another in anysuitable way, such as by welding.

Mounted on the sub-base structure II vis the machine base I6 from therearward portion of which rises a pedestal structure, generallyVdesignated Il. The pedestal structure I1 in turn consists of aplate-like pedestal base i3 resting upon the machine base I6. Risingfrom the pedestal base I6 is a vertical plate-like member I9 extendingtransversely of the machine i0 and forming a vertical wall near the backof the machine. This vertical wall IQ is strengthened in front by a pairof spaced vertical ribs or webs 20 (Figures l and 3), these being spacednot only apart from one another but also spaced inwardly from thevertical edges of the plate-like member It. The latter is alsostrengthened at its outer vertical edges by vertical ribs or webs 2le'xtending rearwardly from the rearward side of the wall or plate-likemember I9. A top member 22 in the form of a horizontal plateinterconnects the vertical members I9, 20 and 2| like the bottom memberor pedestal base I8, these members being secured to one another as bywelding in order to formrthe fabricated pedestal I1.

of the pedestal I1 is the base 23 of a trousers holder frame 24 havingplate-like parallel uprights 25 secured perpendicularly to a frontplate-like member 26 (Figures 2 and 7) and secured as by welding to oneanother and to the frame base 23. Bolted or otherwise secured inparallel spaced relationship to the front platelike member 26 is a pairof guide members 21, one of which has a vertical guide surface 28 andthe other has a corresponding vertical surface 29 on the inner side ofwhich is located. a bar-like vertical pressure member 39 with an innerguide surface 3|. The pressure member 39 is provided withvertically-spaced holes 32 (Figure 7) which receive the inner ends ofretaining pins 33 encircled by compression springs 34. The inner ends ofthe compression springs 34 engage the pressure member 39 and urge itinwardly or to the left in Figure 1, whereas the outer ends of thesprings 34 abut the disc-like heads 35 on the pins 33. The heads 35,pins 33 and springs 34 are housed in recesses or sockets 36 extendinginto the guide member 21 from the surface 29 thereof. Threaded holes 31extend through the guide member 21 into the recesses or sockets 36 andreceive adjusting screws 38, the inner ends of which engage the heads 35of the pins 33 and compress the springs 34. In this manner, the forcewith which the spring 34 engages the pressure member 39 may be adjusted.Lock nuts 39 hold the screws 38 in their adjusted positions. The pins 33are suiciently short (Figure 7) to enter the holes 32 and permit aconsiderable adjustment of the springs 34 before reaching the guidesurface 3|.

Slidably mounted between the guide members 21 and particularly betweenthe surfaces 28 and 3| is an elongated slide block 49 (Figures 1, 2 and7), which extends rearwardly through a vertical slot 4| in the frontplate 26 and on its rearward face is provided with vertically-spacedpairs of horizontally spaced ears 42 (Figures 2 and '1) which are boredfor the passage of pivot bolts 43. Pivotally mounted on the pivot bolts43 are the forward ends of parallel links 44 and 45, the rearward endsof which are` pivotally mounted upon elongated pivot bolts 46 passingthrough and extending between the uprights 25 and carrying tubularspacers 41 which bear against opposite sides of the links 44 and 45.'I'he upper link 44 is provided with a rearwardlyelongated extension 48upon which a counterweight 49 is slidably mounted. The counterweight 49is bored as at 59 to receive the extension 48 and is locked in itsadjusted position by a set screw I (Figure 2).

The slide block 40 on its front side is provided with an inwardlyextending threaded hole or socket 52 into which is threaded thecorrespondingly threaded rearward end of a rod 53 of circularcross-section. Slidably mounted on the rod 53 is a trousers carrier,generally designated 54 which forms one part of the trousers holder as awhole, generally designated 55 and including the rod 53, the slide block49 and the parallel links 44 and 45. The trousers carrier 54 consists ofa tube 56 upon which are mounted horizontally spaced clips, generallydesignated 51. Each clip 51 consists of a pair of lever-like members 58(Figure 1) pivoted as at 59 to one another and having trousers grippingjaws 69 below the pivot 59 and finger grips or handles 6! above thepivot 59. A coil spring 62 urges the jaws 69 toward one another and thehandles 6I away from one another so as to hold the trousers rmly betweenthe jaws 69.

Buck swinging mechanism Extending forwardly from the wall or platelikemember I9 and secured thereto and to the ribs 29 are vertically-spacedpairs of ears or lugs 65 bored as at 66 to receive vertically-disposedpivot shafts 61. Pivotally mounted on each pivot shaft 61 is anapproximately U-shaped bracket structure, generally designated 68 andincluding a tubular hub 69 pivotally mounted on the pivot shaft 61.Extending forwardly from the hub 69 are upper and lower arms 19 and 1|respectively which are parallel to one another and at their forward endsare pivotally connected to pivot pins 12 carried by pivot brackets 13bolted or otherwise 'suitably secured to bosses 14 (Figures 1 and 3)which extend outwardly from the outer walls 15 of swinging outer bucksor side bucks, generally designated 1G. These are swung to and fro bythe toggle mechanism described below.

Each lower arm 1I has a rearwardly projecting extension 11, the rearwardend of which is drilled as at 18 (Figure 4) to receive a pivot bolt 19on which a roller 80 is rotatably mounted. The roller 89 projects upwardfrom the extension 11 into a cross-slot or groove 8| in a slide block 82which reciprocates in a guideway 83 which consists of parallel grooves84 (Figure 2) covered by retaining bars 85 bolted or otherwise suitablysecured to the shelf 86 in which the grooves 84 are located. The shelf86 extends entirely across the machine between the vertical members 2|and is secured, as by welding, to the latter and to the rearward side ofthe wall or plate-like member I9 (Figure 3). The shelf 86 is providedwith slots or openings 31 (Figure 4) through which the bosses 83containing the cross grooves 9| project downwardly from the slide blocks82. The wall or plate-like member I9 is also provided with similar slotsor openings 89 (Figure 4) through which the arm extensions 11 projectrearwardly.

Extending upwardly from each of the slide blocks 82 is a pair of spacedears 99 carrying a pivot pin 9|. Pivotally mounted on the pivot pins 9|are the outer ends of inwardly extending links 92 and 93 (Figure 4),these having overlapping U-shaped or bifurcated portions and 96interconnected by a pivot pin 91. /ilso rotatably mounted on the pivotpin 91 on the forward side of the U-shaped portion 95 is a roller 98which engages a vertically grooved guideway 99 formed in a block |99which is pivoted by the bolt |9| to a boss |92 on the rearward side ofthe wall I9 (Figures 3 and 4). The pivot bolt |9| is located at theupper end of the block |99 and its iowel` end. is adapted to be shiftedto and fro by adjusting screws |93 threaded through spaced parallel earsI 94 projecting rearwardly from the boss |92. Thus, by shifting thelower end of the guide block |99 slightly to one side or the other(Figure 4), the relative positions of the slide blocks 82 may beadjusted and consequently the positions to which the swinging bucks 19are swung inward may be accurately adjusted.

Also pivotally mounted on the pvot pin S1 between the arms of theU-shaped or bifurcated portion 95 of the link 93 is the lower end of apiston rod |95 having on its upper end a DSOIl head |96 (Figure 2)reciprocable in the bore |91 of a cylinder |98 having upper and lowercylinder heads |99 and I|8 respectively served by service pipes and |I2communicating with opposite ends of the cylinder bore |91. The uppercylinder head |99 is provided with spaced ears I I3 carrying a pivot pinI4 mounted in a bracket ||5 secured to the lower side of the pedestaltop member 22. In this manner, the cylinder |08 is adapted to rockslightly to align itself with the guide groove SS in the pivoted blocklil (Figure 4), the cross grooves 5| being provided in the slide blocks82 in order yto accommodate the mechanism to the varying radius of swingof the roller 80 on the end of each arm extension 11. As a consequence,when compressed air or other pressure huid is admitted to the upperservice pipe the piston |06 is forced downward to close the side bucks16, as explained in connection with the operation of the machine.

In order to cause the side bucks or outer bucks 1S to move approximatelyparallel to one another as they are swung outward by the arms 1|, the

lower pivot brackets 13 are provided with out- `yardly-extending arms II5 (Figures l and 3) the outer ends of which are connected by pivot pinsH5 to turnbuckles, generally designated H1 and consisting of internallyoppositely threaded members lit and H9 into which are threaded theopposi-tely threaded ends |26 and |2| of a turnbuckle rod |22. A thumbwheel |23 is pinned or otherwise suitably secured to the rod |22 torotate the same and thus move the members H8 and H9 toward or away fromone another. Each turnbuckle member He is pivotally secured by the pivotpin |26 to a bracket |21 which in turn is secured to and projectsforwardly from the wall or plate-like member I9 (Figure 3). By thismeans, the parallelism of the side bucks 'l can be adjusted relativelyto the stationary middle buck |30.

Because of the limitations of space in Figure 2, the lower and upperportions of the pipes and ||2 are shown disconnected from one another,whereas they are, of course, actually connected to one another'. Theservice pipes and ||2 of the pneumatic cylinder It@ lead upward througha tubular pedestal or stand |3| to a conventional four-way control valve|32 which is supplied with compressed air from an external source (notshown) and which also has an air vent port. Ihe four-way valve |32 ismanipulated by a handle |33 which, if shifted in one direction, admitscompressed air to the upper service pipe and simultaneously vents thelower service pipe ||2 so as to force the piston it and piston rod |35downward to close the side bucks 15. When, however, the handle |33 isshifted in the opposite direction, compressed air is supplied to thelower service pipe l2 while the upper service pipe is vented, moving thepiston rod |95 and piston head iii `upward to swing the side bucks openand away from the middle buck |39. The four-way valve |32 isconventional and any type oi four-way valve may be used for thispurpose.

Buck construction The side bucks 16 are of hollow elongated`ccnstruction and have outer chambers |34 between their outer and innerwalls 15 and |35 respectively (Figures 3 and 5). The chamber |34 isconstantly supplied with steam through supply pipes 35, the condensateor exhaust steam being removed through the pipes |31. These pipes are,of course, preferably flexible in order to adapt them to the swinging ofthe bucks le. The inner wall |35 of the swinging buck 1li is surroundedby o. flange |33 to which a perforated wall |39 is secured, withperforations Hill for steam to pass through. The flanges |33 extend awayfrom the inner walls |35 a sufficient distance to space the perforatedwall |39 away from the inner wall 6 |35. It will be understood that eachof the side bucks T5 is covered with a'layer of padding, such as felt,over the perforated wall |39, and this in turn is protected by a clothcover. These have been omitted to simplif y the drawing.

In order to supply steam to the inner chamber or space |fi| between theinner wall |35 and the perforated wall itil, each side buck 15 isprovided with a steam control valve, generally designated |212 (Figure8) rThe outer and inner walls 15 and |35 are provided with outwardlyextending bosses |43 and ldd respectively. The bosses |133 and ilid areprovided with coaxial aligned bores Hit and |46 respectively, the latterbeing threaded to receive a tubular stationary valve sleeve |li1 havingports Edil therethrough opening into the chamber li. At its inner end,the sleeve |41 is internally threaded to receive a threaded plug |59 inwhich is a port It@ extending from the interior of the sleeve |i'i intothe inner chamber IM. Reciprccably mounted in the valve sleeve H31 is amovable valve core or member |5| having a T-shaped passageway |52therein with its axial portion communicating with the interior of thesleeve |131 and constantly open for communication with the port ld,whereas the transverse portion is selectively communicable with thesleeve ports M8 as the valve member |5| is moved to and fro by a valvestern |53 attached thereto and extending outward through a bore |54 inthe end portion |55 of the sleeve |41. A helical spring tot constantlyurges the valve member |5| outward (to the right in Figure 8) to closecommunication between the ports |68 and valve member passageway |52. Apacking |51 and gland |58 inserted in a threaded counterbore |59 coaxialwith the bore idd prevent leakage around the valve stern ld. The latteris moved to and fro by a hand lever le@ mounted on a pivot pin |6|supported by spaced ears |32 projecting from a cap |53, the hand levertilt carrying the knob |64 at its outer end. The cap |63 is bored andinternally threaded to be screwed onto the threaded outer end portion|65 of the sleeve |41, so as to compress a gasket lt.

As a consequence, when the knob ld is grasped by the operator and thehand lever |60 swung toward the side buck 16, the valve member |5| ismoved inwardly so as to place the passageway |52 in registry with theports Hi8 and admit steam from the outer chamber |3|l to the innerchamber ilii, as explained in the operation. The outer or side bucks 16have approximately parallel walls 15 and |35 and |39 respectively butare tilted slightly relatively to the vertical in order to accuratelyengage the wedge-shaped or tapered middle buck i3d. The side bucks 15are provided with drain cocks |61 at the lower ends of their outerchambers for removal of water which collects while the machine is not inuse.

The middle buck i3@ is provided with a base llil which is bolted orotherwise suitably secured to the base l and which has the wedge-shapedbuck portion |15 rising therefrom and decreasing in width in an upwarddirection. The middle buck |35) is provided with spaced solid innerwalls |12 enclosing a central chamber |13 which is of wedge-shaped formby reason of the convergence of the walls |12 in an upward direction.Spaced away from and parallel to the inner walls |12 are outerperforated walls ila having perforations il through which steam may passfrom a chamber |16 enclosed by a wall |11 (Figure 6) at the lowerforward corner of the middle buck |39 by way of the outer chamber iidthereof. A passageway |19 leads upward to the outer chamber |18 from asteam supply chamber I 80 in the buck base |10. Steam intake pipes |8|and |82 lead respectively from a source of steam, such as a boiler orsteam generator, to the chambers |13 and |16 respectively (Figure 6),whereas exhaust or steam discharge pipes or condensate pipes |83 and |84lead respectively out of these chambers through the machine base I6.

Connected to the steam supply pipe |02 is a steam control Valve |85(Figures 1 and 2) which in turn is connected to a steam supply pipe |06.The valve |85 is conventional and is operated by a valve lever |81pivoted thereto as at |88 and connected by the link |89 to a foot pedal|90 pivotally mounted upon a cross rod 9| extending between oppositelower angle members |4, and operates a reciprocable valve plunger |92.The condensate pipe or exhaust pipe |84 is connected to an air-operatedejector |93 of conventional design having a compressed air supply pipe|94 (Figure 1) leading into one side thereof and controlled by a valveplunger |95 which in turn is actuated by a valve lever |96 pivotedthereto as at |91 and pivotally connected by a link |98 to a foot pedal|99 which is also pivotally mounted on the cross rod |9|. The ejector|93 on its discharge side is connected to a discharge pipe 200.

Operation In the operation of the invention, let it be assumed that theside bucks 16 and middle buck |30 have been provide-d with suitablepadding and covers, as previously explained, and omitted from thedrawings for simplicity of showing. Let it also be assumed that themachine is connected to a source of steam, as to a boiler or steamgenerator, and the air supply pipe of the valve |32 connected to asource of compressed air, such as a tank served by an air compressor..Steam passes through the pipe |83 into the chamber |13 of the middlebuck |30 and condensate or exhaust steam escapes through the pipe 8|,thus heating the middle buck |30. Steam also passes through the flexiblepipes |36 into the outer chambers |34 of the swinging or side bucks 15and heats the latter.

Assuming that the side bucks are in their closed positions shown in thedrawings, the operator shifts the handle |33 of the four-way air controlvalve |32 to admit compressed air to the lower service pipe I2 and ventthe upper service pipe to the atmosphere. This action :Forces the piston|06 and piston rod |05 upward, raising the inner ends of the links 92and 93 upward (Figure 4) thereby moving the slide blocks 82 and the endsof the arm extensions 11 toward one another. This in turn swings thearms 1| and the side bucks or outer bucks 16 outward away from oneanother and away from the middle buck 30. The machine is then ready forthe insertion of the trousers.

To press a pair of trousers T (Figure 2), the operator suspends themfrom the trousers holder 55 by inserting their waistband in the clips 51of the trousers carrier 54, moving this inward or outward along the rod53 until the trousers are properly positioned horizontally. He thenmoves the slide block 40 of the trousers holder 55 upward or downward,its parallelism being maintained by the parallel links 45, until thetrousers legs are properly positioned vertically and inserted betweenthe middle buck and the side bucks 16 on opposite sides of theupstanding portion |1| of the middle buck |30. The pressure 8 plate 30,impelled by the springs 34, frictionally engages the slide block 40 andholds it in its adjusted position. The counterweight 40 counterbalancesthe weight of the trousers T.

The operator now shifts the valve lever |33 in the opposite direction,admitting compressed air to the upper service pipe and venting the lowerservice pipe ||2, causing the piston head |06 and piston rods |05 tomove downward. This action swings the slide blocks 02 and the ends ofthe arm extensions 11 away from one another, swinging the arms 1| andside bucks 16 toward one another into engagement with the trousers whichare draped over the middle buck portion |1|.

The operator then steps upon the foot pedal to admit live steam to theouter chamber |18, this steam permeating the pores of the garmentthrough the holes |15. He also grasps the knobs |64 and shifts the valvelevers |50 to open the valve |42 and admit live steam from the outerchambers |34 of the side bucks 16 to the inner chambers ||4I thereof.This steam escapes through the holes |40 and likewise permeates thepores of the garment. When the garment has been suiliciently pressed andsteamed in this manner, the operator releases the foot pedal |90 and theknobs |64 of the hand levers |80, cutting off the ow of live steam tothe garment. To dry the garment, he then steps on the foot pedal |99,simultaneously opening the condensate pipe |84 to the exhaust pipe 260and likewise opening the air supply pipe |94 to the ejector |93. Theblast of air through the ejector, ccording to the well-known principlesof the Venturi tube and of injectors based thereon, creates a suctionwhich in turn sucks the steam out of the outer chamber |18 of the middlebuck |39 and consequently dries the garment.

The operator then shifts the air control hand lever |33 to admitcompressed air to the lower service pipe ||2 and vent the upper servicepipe swinging the side bucks 15 open .in the manner previouslydescribed. The trousers may then be removed by grasping the handles 6|of the clips 51 so as to separate the jaws 65 and release them fromtheir grip upon the waistband of the trousers T.

As the trousers carrier 54 is removable from the machine, the operatoror his assistant may attach the trousers to such carriers 54 away fromthe machine and mount them upon a rack adjacent the machine, ready to bepressed as the operator takes them up in order. This enables a largequantity of trousers to be pressed rapidly and eiciently, with theattaching of the trousers being done by comparatively unskilled persons.

What I claim is:

l. A vertical trousers pressing machine comprising a vertically-disposedhollow elongated inner pressing member, a supporting structure, a pairof vertically-disposed hollow elongated cuter pressing members disposedon opposite sides of said inner pressing member and pivotally connectedto said supporting structure for motion toward and away from said innerpressing member, and heating fluid supply and discharge conduitsconnected to said pressing members, and a trousers holder connected tosaid supporting structure and overhanging said pressing members, saidtrousers holder having a horizontal trousers supporting elements, clampsthereon having opposed clamping elements engageable with the trouserswaistband on opposite sides of the trousers for securing the trouserswaistband thereto.

a vertically-movable element connected to said supporting element, and aparallel linkage pivotally mounted on said supporting structure andpivotally connected tp said vertically-movable element.

2. A vertical trousers pressing machine comprising a vertically-disposedhollow elongated inner pressing member. a supporting structure, a pairof vertically-disposed hollow elongated outer pressing members disposedon opposite sides of said inner pressing member and pivotally connectedto said supporting structure for motion toward and away from said innerpressing member, and heating fluid supply and discharge conduitsconnected to said pressing members, and a trousers holder connected tosaid supporting structure and overhanging said pressing members, saidtrousers holder having a horizontal trousers supporting element, atubular element slidably mounted on said horizontal supporting element,clamps on said tubular element having opposed clamping elementsengageable with the REFERENCES CITED The following references are ofrecord in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,065,235 Matthews Dec. 22, 19362,126,577 Rawlinson Aug. 9, 1938 2,147,596 Long Feb. 14, 1939 2,375,947Robbel May 25, 1945 2,486,486 Lauzon Nov. 1, 1949 2,529,899 Bayler Nov.14, 1950

